At one time no one could travel on an English road faster than four miles an hour. That was the law until 1896. A man had to walk in front of a car which could not go faster than the man. At night the man had to carry a red lamp.
Once Charles Rolls brought a car from France to England, but he wanted to drive faster than four miles an hour. In order to have no trouble with the police, he had a talk with some of the police officers, who ordered their policemen to look the other way when the car came along the road. This was a good plan in the country, but not so easy to follow in the busy streets of London.
One night Rolls and some friends started from London on their journey to Cambridge. One of the men walked in front with the red lamp, but he walked as fast as he could. The police became very interested in walls and shop-fronts when they heard the car and not one of them saw it.
They reached a hill, but what a waste of time it was to drive down the hill at four miles an hour! Rolls was getting ready to jump into the car, but then he noticed a policeman who was not looking the other way. The slow car reached him.
“Good evening,” said the policeman, looking at the car.
“Good evening,” said Rolls, holding the lamp.
“One of these horseless things,” said the policeman, looking at it with interest.
“Yes,” said Rolls, and waited.
“I’ve often wanted a ride in one, but of course policemen can’t buy things like that.” He turned and looked hopefully in Rolls’s face.
“Jump in,” said Rolls.
“Thanks,” said the policeman, and did so. “Now,” he said, sitting down, “You can let it go just as you like down this hill. There isn’t another policeman on this road for a mile and a half.”
1．The policemen were told “to look the other way” so that _______.
A．they could watch the car coming from the other direction
B．Rolls’s car could go faster than four miles an hour
C．they could make sure no one was in the way
D．the car would not hit them on the road
2．In what way did the policemen carry out the order from their officers?
A．They greeted Rolls when the car came along.
B．They walked in front of the car with a red lamp.
C．They pretended to be attracted by something else.
D．They stood on duty every 1.5 miles along the road.
3．The policeman who said “Good evening” to Rolls wanted to _______.
A．teach Rolls a lesson B．take a free ride home
C．have a talk with Rolls D．have a car ride experience
4．After the policeman jumped into the car, Rolls _______.
A．dared not drive the car faster than he was allowed to
B．could drive as fast as he wished within a certain distance
C．could drive on any road he liked for the rest of the journey
D．drove his car as fast as he could down the hill to Cambridge